Moyes content as Fellaini proves a point for Toffees

DAVID MOYES believes Everton have rediscovered their fighting spirit as they head into their clash with Burnley today.

The Toffees fought from a goal down to earn a draw at Sunderland, Marouane Fellaini grabbing the equaliser after Darren Bent had put the Black Cats a goal up.

And Moyes feels a corner has been turned by his club. He said: “They [the players] are disappointed, but there is a bit more steel in their eyes at the moment.

“They know the levels they are going to have to play at now and I thought the way we played today was very similar to how we played at our best last year.

“What we did have was we were scoring, we were finishing things off, and we just didn’t have that final bit today.

“If we had got anything less, it would have been robbery. I told the players at half-time I would be disappointed with a point because I thought we played so well in the first half.

“But I thought we were even better in the second half, so I am not disappointed with a point because the performance was good enough to earn more.”

Black Cats boss Steve Bruce was disappointed as his side conceded a late equaliser for the second time in three home games after also seeing Portsmouth snatch a point with a late goal.

He said: “It’s hugely disappointing when it happens to you once, never mind twice, but I suppose it’s just that run we are on at the minute.

“Everybody gets nervous. We went too deep and really didn’t do our jobs properly, unfortunately.

“But it is understandable with the run we are on. We just need to see one of these games out.”

Fellaini struck at the death to deny Sunderland victory as Everton claimed a fourth successive Premier League draw. The midfielder blasted home an 85th-minute equaliser to deny the Black Cats what would have been only their second league win in 10 attempts since they beat Liverpool on Wearside on October 17.

Bruce’s men looked to be on their way when Darren Bent headed home his 11th goal of the season with 17 minutes gone.

But as chances went begging at either end, the Merseysiders grew in confidence and, with the home side retreating ever deeper into their own half, they struck at the death to ensure they left with something to show for their efforts.

Everton now head into today’s home clash with Burnley hoping for a first Premier League win in eight.

Sunderland, for their part, will make the trip to Blackburn having taken only two points from their last three home games, having seen victory snatched from their grasp late on by both the Toffees and Portsmouth either side of defeat at the hands of high-flying Aston Villa.

On Saturday it was the home side who staked their claim first, and Bent could easily have collected a hat-trick within the opening 21 minutes as a central defensive pairing of Lucas Neill and John Heitinga struggled to contain he and strike partner Kenwyne Jones.

Bent should have done better when Andy Reid picked him out 12 yards from goal with a sixth-minute free-kick, but he powered his header wide of the target.

However, he made no mistake 11 minutes later when he timed his run to perfection to meet Jones’ cross with a firm downward header to beat keeper Tim Howard.

It might have been 2-0 within four minutes after midfielder Jordan Henderson surged into the box before pulling the ball back to the near post. Bent’s flick turned it across goal, but Neill got in an important block.

But the visitors, who had earlier seen Leon Osman clip the post with a sixth-minute effort and Louis Saha twice fire wide from promising positions, responded well.

Fellaini and Leon Osman increasingly made their presence felt in midfield, but with Saha and Tim Cahill seeing little of the ball where it mattered, Marton Fulop’s goal was rarely under any genuine threat.

However, the worry for Bruce was his side’s recent failure to kill off sides, and with memories of Pompey’s late fightback to snatch a point from their recent trip to the Stadium of Light despite playing second fiddle for long periods still fresh in his mind, there could be little doubt over the theme of his half-time team-talk.

Whatever Moyes said at the break appeared to have the desired effect. Everton won a corner within seconds of the restart and Fellaini got above Jones to meet Leighton Baines’ corner and send a header just wide.

Sunderland found themselves under increasing pressure and John Mensah had to intervene twice as Saha threatened to burst clear.

They enjoyed an escape with 54 minutes gone when, after Diniyar Bilyaletdinov had helped on another Baines corner, Saha volleyed just wide.

But Everton were almost caught on the break on the hour when Bent picked out Bolo Zenden, who cut inside and forced Howard into a solid save.

Howard needed his full reach to turn over Paulo da Silva’s header from a 68th-minute Reid free-kick with the game becoming stretched.

But Steven Pienaar whistled a long-range effort just wide and Saha pulled another shot across the face of goal with the visitors starting to make their final push.

They finally got their reward with five minutes remaining when Fellaini controlled Tony Hibbert’s cross before smashing a shot high into the net to snatch a point.

Asked if he is confident his side can climb away from relegation trouble, Moyes said: “If you look at how we played today, the players will not be in that position come the end of the season. And we have got 10 to come back, so we will have competition in the team and hopefully be able to move up a bit more.”

“But we have played well in recent weeks.”

Sunderland have worries of their own as they travel to Blackburn today. With central defender Michael Turner suspended for another three games and Anton Ferdinand still on the casualty list, John Mensah picked up a hamstring injury which is likely to keep him out of this afternoon’s clash at Ewood Park.